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Hinduism
- Founder
No single founder; evolved over thousands of years in India.
- Sacred Texts
Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata.
- Symbols
aum
- Sacred Spaces/Buildings
Temples (e.g., Brihadeeswarar Temple), the River Ganges (considered sacred and purifying).
- Festivals, Rituals, Events
Diwali (festival of lights), Holi (festival of colors), Puja (daily worship).
- Creation Myth
The cosmic egg (Hiranyagarbha) gave birth to the universe, and Vishnu churned the ocean (Samudra Manthan) to produce life and the nectar of immortality.
- Faith Communities
Hindus, with significant diversity in practices and beliefs.
Judaism
- Founder
Abraham, regarded as the patriarch.
- Sacred Texts
Torah, Talmud, Tanakh.
- Symbols
Star of David (✡), Menorah.
- Sacred Spaces/Buildings
Synagogues, the Western Wall in Jerusalem (remnant of the Second Temple, a place of pilgrimage and prayer).
- Festivals, Rituals, Events
Passover (Exodus from Egypt), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
- Creation Myth
God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. Light and darkness, sky, land, sea, vegetation, animals, and humans were created in sequence.
- Faith Communities
Jewish people, including groups such as Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative Jews.
Buddhism
- Founder
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), 5th-4th century BCE.
- Sacred Texts
Tripitaka (Pali Canon), Mahayana Sutras, Tibetan Book of the Dead.
- Symbols
Dharma Wheel (☸), Lotus Flower.
- Sacred Spaces/Buildings
Monasteries, stupas (e.g., Sanchi Stupa), Bodh Gaya (site of Buddha's enlightenment under the Bodhi tree).
- Festivals, Rituals, Events
Vesak (Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death), meditation retreats.
- Creation Myth
The universe is cyclical, with endless cycles of creation and destruction. There is no definitive beginning, reflecting impermanence and interdependence.
- Faith Communities
Buddhists, including Theravāda, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna traditions.
Christianity
- Founder
Jesus Christ, 1st century CE.
- Sacred Texts
Bible (Old Testament and New Testament).
- Symbols
Cross, Ichthys (fish symbol).
- Sacred Spaces/Buildings
Churches, cathedrals, Jerusalem (Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection).
- Festivals, Rituals, Events
Christmas (birth of Jesus), Easter (resurrection of Jesus), Baptism.
- Creation Myth
God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. He formed light, the sky, land, sea, vegetation, celestial bodies, animals, and finally humans in His image, giving them dominion over creation.
- Faith Communities
Christians, including Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox branches.
Islam
- Founder
Prophet Muhammad, 7th century CE.
- Sacred Texts
Qur'an, Hadith.
- Symbols
Crescent Moon and Star.
- Sacred Spaces/Buildings
Mosques, Mecca (Kaaba, the holiest site where Muslims perform Hajj), Medina (Prophet Muhammad's mosque and burial place).
- Festivals, Rituals, Events
Ramadan (month of fasting), Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha.
- Creation Myth
Allah created the heavens and the earth in six days. He formed humans from clay and breathed life into them, appointing them stewards of the earth.
- Faith Communities
Muslims, including Sunni and Shia branches.
Humanism
- Founder
No single founder; emerged as a philosophical movement in the Renaissance.
- Sacred Texts
None; relies on reason, ethics, and scientific inquiry.
- Symbols
Happy Human symbol.
- Sacred Spaces/Buildings
None specific; focus is on human connection and shared spaces.
- Festivals, Rituals, Events
Secular celebrations like International Humanist Day.
- Creation Myth
Emphasizes scientific explanations like the Big Bang and evolution.
- Faith Communities
Humanists, often organized into groups promoting secular ethics and human rights.
